Halloween Pumpkins...

Halloween Pumpkins, Gourds, Corn Stalks and Hay.

My work in Bristol finished 2 days ahead of schedule. I had never been to Bristol in my life. But it was a great little town with odd quirks. On my last day, I worked In Tennessee and ate my lunch in Virginia. And all I had to do is cross the road. Seems the state line runs right down the middle of the street.

The entire city, on both sides of the street, were dressed up for Halloween. The people. The stores. It was still a little more than a week before the big day, yet everyone was still in the Halloween mood.

The company that had employed my services had even invited me to their annual company party. It was a costume event and from what I had seen around their business, there would be lots of cute girls, but I declined. I wanted to get on the road as soon as possible.

Finishing early in my job was something that rarely happened these days. It was mostly due to being so short staffed and people working from home. It's always hard to get answers from people working out of office. So today, when I was done early, it was a treat and a small victory for me.

Normally, when a job ended, I would drop the rental car at the airport, grab some shitty airport food, and hop a flight to the next site. Another job. Another paycheck. A paycheck that I promised myself to someday enjoy. Yeah, I spent my life rushing off to my next job, but this time, it wouldn't be the case.

With the year winding down and October already upon us, I had decided before I started this job, to use up what was left over of my vacation days and do some riding. So, I packed up my Road King, went to work, and now I was free to do some open road cruising. With the extra days in my pocket, there would be lots of time for me to explore as many side roads as possible. Because now, I had the time. In fact, I wasn't due back in Raleigh for 12 more days.

*****

For hours and days, I rode. Not once did I ride on anything more than two lanes. No freeways. No multi laned blacktop. Just backroad freedom. Freedom from life and freedom from all those things that made the world crazy.

At each stop I encountered new people. At each corner, I encounter new things. All of this was interesting and new to me.

Resting and stretching my legs, I drank a pumpkin spice latte and laughed at the bad Halloween decorations floating it the store rafters above my head. It was hard to believe the seasons had changed so fast. Summer was long gone. Halloween was a few days away. And Thanksgiving and Christmas were right around the corner. Hiding in wait.

The Harley roared to life under me. But I was in no rush to leave another small town behind me, so I sat for a while and took in the sights.

Yes, my newfound freedom and awakening was screaming at me to slow down and enjoy life instead of being so consumed with work. And with those thoughts racing through my head, my life changed forever.

I had promised myself to slow down and enjoy what the world had to offer. And even if it killed me, I planned on keeping my promise.

*****

Cruising yet another long-forgotten road, a sign appeared. The sign appeared to have been freshly painted. It was promoting a fruit stand up the way.

"Halloween Pumpkins, Gourds, Corn Stalks and Hay. 2 miles ahead."

Just beneath it was a smaller sign proclaiming, "Best tarts and cider in the state."

The windy road followed a rocky stream. It was so scenic that I could picture Hallmark filming one of their T.V. movies here. The kind of movie where everyone was happy and in love. The ones where no one appeared to have a real job and just hung out doing fun stuff.

I daydreamed about it as I took in the beauty of the surrounding area. I could already taste the apple cider in my mouth.

My foot and hand touched the brakes, as the others started to gear the big Harley down. Maybe I was changing. Maybe I was slowing my life down. Because as I geared down, I realized I was about to stop at the first fruit stand I had visited since I was a child.

*****

The sun was high in the sky, and it was blinding my eyes. But for some reason, I was suddenly in a shadow.

The form looked completely black because my mind wasn't fast enough to adjust to the light. Finally, I noticed that it was a "she". And she stood back a bit from the leaning position she was in. Suddenly, everything attached to the shadow was coming into focus.

She was gorgeous.

Everything about her stunned me.

Her pale skin. Her youthful looks. Her long dark hair. Everything.

Her cool smooth skin touched and caressed me on a warm fall day. My face felt relaxed everywhere her fingers touched it. The sensation caused me to jump with surprise.

"Hey. There you are. Seems you dozed off under our trees." Her voice was that of an angel.

The sweet sound of her voice and the feel of her cool touch was bringing me out of my deep sleep.

I couldn't remember a time where I had been awoken and it was this beautiful. All of it. Everything around her glowed with a special kind of beauty.

The girl now kneeling at my side had something about her. Yes. She had something that made her special. A thing that set her aside from all other women. Pure and natural. Untouched by make-up and false eyelashes. A kind of "real" beauty that created a stir among men and caused jealousy among other women. She was that level of beautiful. And the aura surrounding her was something I couldn't put a finger on.

The long tangles of her chestnut hair were tied back into a ponytail that hung down over her shoulder. She had on a man's long sleeve under shirt that was mostly covered by a checkers. A flannel shirt. Judging be how loose it was, it had also at one time, or another, belonged to a man. But her jeans. Her faded jeans were hers for sure. They were form-fitting and showed off her hips and ass finely. And on the front area that covered her thighs, someone had painted, in purple, white and black, small paisley designs.

When I didn't move fast enough for her liking, she gave me a shake and nudged me with one of her work boots.

"So, lazybones. Do you enjoy laying here in a pile of old leaves or are you just watching me work until you get up the nerve to come over and talk to me?"

"What? No...I..."

"I do," she said. "I like laying in a pile of leaves, that is. Especially on a day like today. When it's a hot and sunny, fall day. I love the smell the leaves give off. It's like a candle or firewood burning."

The smell of dried oak leaves caught my attention when she spoke. Looking around, I noticed the thick bed of brown and cracked leaves piled beneath me. They had an unmistakable smell. A smell that brought back childhood memories. The same smell she told me she loved.

Looking past the tall oaks I noticed rows and rows of apple trees. The orchards went on forever. And to my right was a fruit stand. A sign with old, faded paint claimed to also have the states "best apples". The stand had baskets in many sizes filled with apples and pears. And the ground surrounding it was covered with bright orange pumpkins.

Afterall, it was fall. Harvest time was at its best. Pumpkins. Squash. Gourds and corn stalks. All for sale. You could eat them or use them for decorating.

I had planned on stopping here. But for some strange reason, I didn't remember doing so. But I didn't need to. With the state of mind, I was currently in, I would have stopped to look around anyway. And the idea of a little downtime and an afternoon nap sounded like the best thing in the world to me.

"Sorry, I'll be on my way. I didn't mean to trespass. I shouldn't have taken the liberty."

"Don't rush on my account. It's nice to have some company. I don't get many visitors these days."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Not all that long."

Her pretty face smiled at me as the tail of her dark hair flowed in the gentle breeze. For the second time, I noticed that she was very pretty, and from where I sat, she had an incredible body.

"I'm Britney. This is my stand. I like to think of it as my own little harvest barn."

"Kyle. I was just out for a ride. And for some reason..."

"It's fine Kyle. Sit and relax. Let me get you something to drink. What would you like?"

"Cider. Please. Some of the cider you advertise would be great."

"Warm or cold?"

"Either. Either would do fine. As long as it's no trouble."

"None at all. Like I said, I enjoy the company. Tart?"

"Please."

The girl disappeared without asking which kind of tart I wanted, but it honestly didn't matter to me. I closed my eyes to enjoy a second to myself, when she returned, she was holding a paper plate with a huge pecan butter tart, and a mug of warm apple cider. Pressed and mulled, with traces and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

The light pastry crumbled away from the gooey, nutty and sugary filling. It was a buttery delight. Like the sign said, 'Best in the state'.

"Oh my god. This is so good."

"Try the cider. It's a blend of three apples and five spices. I'm very proud of it."

Putting the warm mug to my lips, I blew on the hot liquid and took a sip. Like the tart, it was amazing.

"You should be very proud. It's the best I've ever had."

"Thank you for saying...but..."

"But nothing. I swear and promise."

The beautiful girl's smile and blush made her seem so innocent.

"Well thank you kind sir. Why don't you sit here a while and rest. I have some chores to tend to. When I'm done, we can hike through the orchards and I could show you around. If you'd like," she said with a flirtatious tone.

My nod made her smile again.

"Good. Yell if you want or need anything."

The heat felt so good as it warmed my body and the bed of leaves where I lay was more comfortable than any of the mattresses I'd ever slept on, even in the most expensive of hotels.

I watched Britney go about her routine. She moved and piled. Placed and organized. Like her, the stand she owned needed to be perfect. Everything in its place.

Time drifted by with not so much as worry. Occasionally, the beautiful girl would turn my way. Sometimes it was a quick peek from over her shoulder. Other times she stopped what she was doing, put her hands on her hips, and look directly at me. But no matter how she did it, she always did it with a smile.

My mind was reeling. This girl and I had only spoken for a few minutes, but I was already smitten.

*****

When the farm girl returned to my side, she sat beside on the pile of oak leaves.

From somewhere deep inside of me, I conjured up enough courage to ask a girl who was leaps and bounds out of my league, out on a date.

"Britney...maybe...I mean...if you're not too busy, after you show me around...we could go out for a coffee or a Frappuccino. A pumpkin spice something or other."

I thought given her current industry. She'd want to keep with the season.

"A what?" She looked at me oddly.

"A coffee or..."

"No. Not that. The other thing."

"A Frappuccino?"

"Yeah. That one. Is it something made from pumpkins?"

I laughed but saw in her face that she wasn't joking. Apparently, this beauty didn't get off the farm much.

"No. It's made from coffee and ice."

"Ice? Ice and coffee. Very funny. Why in the world would anyone want to drink a cold coffee. It sounds...strange. I get iced tea, But coffee? Are you making it up?"

"Absolutely not. Let me take you out for one."

"On a date?"

It had been a long time since I had been on 'a date', but the way she said the words made it sound like the most incredible thing in the world to me.

"Yeah. I quess so. A date. I mean...absolutely...if you'd like to."

"I'd love to, but I think you need some rest first. Follow me to the barn. I'll set you up and we'll talk about our 'date'."

*****

Our walk to the barn was a long way. The dirt road was windy and hilly, but the time that we spent walking up from the fruit stand passed by quickly because of the great conversation.

Britney was very enthusiastic when she spoke. She used lots of hand movements and facial expressions to tell her stories. Dramatic gestures. She was a delightful storyteller and kept my attention with every single word she spoke. She held me like no other woman ever had. I was a fish on the end of her hook.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Kyle?"

"No. Nope. I've been single for over a year."

"Seems strange. You're handsome enough. For a city guy that is."

"Thanks, I suppose."

"Why did you break up?" She wasn't shy when she asked the personal question.

"Work. We worked together. Too much in fact. We spent so much time working, we never had time for a relationship. We started to hate our work and each other. One day we both a realization and knew it was over between us."

Opening up about personal things was always something I avoid. But with Britney, I had no reservations.

"Sad." She turned and took both of my hands into hers. "The day you hate your job is the day you need to change your profession. Loving what you do is so very important." She let go of my hand. My one hand. The other, she continued to hold as we walked down the dirt tractor path.

"Was she pretty?"

"Yes. I mean if you like an aggressive businessman look on a woman."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"She wore dark make-up. Was always dressed in dark suits and would wear dark rimmed glasses. Even though she had perfect vision. It made her feel...superior."

"You didn't like that? You don't like strong women?"

"In the end, I suppose I didn't. Not because she was strong. But because she was fake."

"Explain."

"Women who are strong and confident are very sexy. But if the strength comes from being fake, I'm not interested."

"Fair enough."

Britney reached for the wood hasp that held the right-side door of the barn closed. It was the first time I noticed the slight tear in her jeans. It was perfectly placed at the left cheek of her butt. With the paint and the rip, she must have paid a pretty penny for her custom Levi's.

*****

Her home was unlike any other barn I had ever imagined. Not that I had imagined what many barns looked like. This one was completely different. Finished with its large beams and stone foundation still exposed. It had windows that looked out over the trees lining the farm. A large stone fireplace and all the other amenities a home would ever need. It looked new and dated all at once.

Her huge bed was to the left. Beside it was a large wooden tub and behind a glass wall, appeared to be a shower and toilet. On the right side was a living area were some large comfortable furniture and a table with some chairs. It was older, but it was well set up.

"Britney...this...this place...is something else...it's...amazing."

"Thank you. I like it too. I designed most of it. My father and brother did most of the work. And my uncle built the fireplace. We can start a fire later if you're chilled. Sometimes the night air gets to me. So, I'll light it and watch the wood burn. It soothes me. It'll be dark soon. Would you want me to start one?

"It's completely up to...yeah...sure...I'd like a fire."

My head wasn't in the game.

A beautiful woman had brought me up to her place. Showed me around. Was offering to light a romantic fire and I hesitated. Even if it were only for a second. I hesitated. What the hell was I thinking.

"Are you sure it's okay I'm here? Won't your boyfriend mind?" I questioned.

"Boyfriend," she laughed. "No. He won't mind. I fact, his wife would be very happy to hear about you visiting."

"Pardon?"

"My last boyfriend," she looked at me with an embarrassed look. "Wasn't really a boyfriend. He was a professor. He seduced me with his knowledge and in the end, he used me. I found out later, he was married, and I haven't had a boyfriend since."

"Was it long ago?"

"Honestly. It seems like forever."

Britney opened the screen covering the fireplace and leaned on the stone hearth. Striking a match on the rough stone, she lit a piece of paper and held it to a pile of kindling. Immediately a blaze was started.

"Kyle, do you promise me, you don't have a girlfriend."

"Why would I lie?"

"Who knows. Maybe you're ashamed. Or maybe you're one of those guys who likes to cheat and make his girlfriend out the fool."

"For what it's worth. You have my word."

"I trust you, Kyle. I do. I have a feeling about you. You seem like a very nice guy. Bath?"

She never heard me ask her to repeat what she had said. Instead, she began to fill the large tub with water.

Nervously I watched and waited. We had known each other for all of a few moments in time. And now this beauty queen had removed her outer shirt. Rolled up her sleeve. And was testing the temperature of the water with her wrist. I was unsure where it was headed, until I noticed her fingers working the button of her jeans.

"The tub big enough for both of us. Or if you're shy, you can go first."

My head shook in every direction. A yes. A no. A maybe. I wasn't sure how to answer. I was stunned. But as soon as her pants started sliding down her long legs, I was standing at her side.

Seconds later, Britney pulled the much-used undershirt up and over her head. She was standing before me in only underwear and socks that were more for practicality than sexiness. Even so, she was still the living picture of beauty.

Pulling off my own pants, Britney giggled when she noticed my manhood pushing and straining to get out of my own underwear.

"I can see you're excited. Is that because of me?" I just nodded. "Good. Don't worry. I am too, but you just can't tell yet."

Leaning into me, her fingers gathered up the material at the bottom of my t-shirt and lifted it up and over my head. Much like she had done with her own.

"Good. Not too much hair on your chest. I like some. But not too much."

Stepping another step closer, I could feel the cool chill of her skin against mine and the smoothness of her body. Pressing forward. I felt the hard lump in my underwear touch her lower regions.

"Britney. What about your parents? Aren't you afraid they might..."

"No need to worry about them. They stopped coming around not long after I moved in."

Turning her back to me, she pulled her long hair out of the way and looked over her shoulder. She was giving me permission and requesting I release the clasp holding the back of her brassiere together.

My fingers had never trembled as much as they had at that moment. Placing the thin cotton material between my fingers, I pulled in, twisted and allowed the ends to snap apart. Instantly, she was released from the prison holding her chest in place. The binds fell apart and open. Moving my finger under the shoulder straps, I pulled them outward and off of her smooth skin. Letting them drop down.

The bra should have fallen to the floor, but Britney's hands held the front cups in place. She held it firmly against her chest. Hiding her treasures from my view.

Lowering my hands, I touched her hips and moved my fingers of my right hand so that an inch of them entered the waistband of her undies. Then I put the flat palm of my left on her flat belly. I followed it up by moving my bare chest to her back and putting my lips on the crook of her neck. I kissed and nibbled my way up to her ear before taking the lobe between my lips.

"Ooooohhh...that...I like...that." And to prove it, she pushed her rock-hard ass back, so her cheeks caressed my shaft and balls. "I've miss this."

As I bent to remove her panties, I could smell the scent of a woman. With Britney, it was a mixture of lust, excitement and hard work. It was hearty, musky and sexy.

Letting my lips kiss their way down, I stopped at the upper crack of her butt and gave a small lick. Britney giggled and finally dropped the bra she had worn all day long.